1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to ladders and, more specifically without limitation, to access ladders.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Regardless of the amount of space available for storage purposes, rarely is there enough space as desired for such purposes. As a result, various means have been developed to utilize otherwise inaccessible space for storage. For example, means such as pull-down stairs have been developed to provide access to space in attics and over garage ceilings. Such spaces generally provide excellent storage for seldom used articles and seasonal items, such as Christmas decorations and the like.
Unfortunately, most of the pull-down stairs available in the marketplace are constructed of wood and are limited in load capacity. Such pull-down stairs are generally manually extendable from a folded, storage configuration by pulling on a cord hanging down from one end of the stairs. As a result, these prior art pull-down stairs are difficult to handle and are somewhat dangerous, particularly for elderly or handicapped users. Also, if such pull-down stairs are not properly installed such that the joints between the sections of the stairs assume snug abutting engagements therebetween and/or the ends of the bottom section of the stairs are not accurately coped to conform to the underlying floor when the access stairs are pulled down from its storage position, a dangerous situation is created.
Previously, most garages or areas having available space thereabove had eight-foot high ceilings. More recently, many garages having available space thereabove have ceiling heights that are substantially greater than eight feet. As a result, it is not uncommon for pull-down stairs designed for eight- or ten-foot high ceilings to be installed in garages having ceilings substantially greater than ten feet. In that event, the end of the too-short access stairs is placed on a box, crate or other precarious support. A user then undertakes the very risky procedure of mounting the relatively unstable access stairs from a nearby step stool or of taking an extremely large step in order to mount the bottom step of the access stairs.
Some existing prior art access stairs have been developed wherein the stair portion thereof is extended and retracted by some type of powered arrangement. Unfortunately, the stair portion of most such prior art powered access stairs comprises a single stair section. As a result, substantial head room is required to accommodate the stair section as it is being displaced to a storage configuration above the ceiling, which not only limits the use of such powered access stairs to applications that have the necessary substantial head room but also diminishes the amount of space remaining for storage purposes.
What is needed is a motorized access ladder that has sections that do not fold for storage purposes, that does not require substantial head room when assuming a storage configuration, that provides access not only to areas over eight- or ten-foot high ceilings but also provides access to areas over ceilings or areas that have heights substantially greater than eight feet, that has feet that abuttingly engage a solid underlying surface regardless of the area height, and that is safe for all users as well as elderly and handicapped users.